Miners Cut
by RandomShtScinceWhenever
Summary: It is 6:30 in the morning and Yang is at the kitchen table making sandwiches for school. It is 6:45 and Yang is rinsing their cereal bowls out as she reminds Ruby to brush her teeth. It is nearly seven and Yang is bundling Ruby out the door.
1. Month 1

It is 6:30 in the morning and Yang is at the kitchen table making sandwiches for school. Ruby isn't up yet and Yang makes a mental note to bug her in ten minutes at the latest. Distantly she wonders if Daddy will come out today then decides she doesn't care; Uncle Qrow promised to drop after school and teach them some simple hand-to-hand forms.

Sandwiches done and bagged, Yang climbs off the chair she's been kneeling on and drags it over to the counter. From there she's able to get down two bowls for breakfast. A glance at the full sink reminds her that she needs to do the dishes and get more soap.

 _Ruby_ , she calls over the sound of cereal clattering into their bowls. _It's time to get up!_

A glass of milk by Ruby's bowl and orange juice by hers and then Yang goes to stand at the bottom of the stairs yelling, _Ruby!_

No answer.

With a sigh Yang climbs to the second floor and knocks on the bedroom door.

Silence.

Inside Ruby is still burrowed into her blankets, only the top of her head visible. Yang smiles fondly then goes to shake her sister awake, swallowing the lump in her throat that comes with the thought that Mom should be here in her place.

 _Ruby. It's time for breakfast, sleepy-head. Now c'mon; you don't want to be late for school, do you?_

 _ **…**_

Yang lets Ocean walk Ruby home after he promises to say Yang is getting help with Language Studies if Qrow is there and asks.

There's a sale on Ruby's (second) favorite chocolate chip cookies (after Mom's) and Yang hesitates when she sees it. After a moment she decides she might as well; it can be her excuse if Qrow finds out she went to the store alone.

The lady behind the checkout counter gives her an odd look but says nothing. Yang is grateful for this and thanks the woman as she takes her bag and goes.

Qrow is out front with Ruby and Ocean must have gone home because Yang doesn't see him. She approaches the house through the woods and goes in the back door so Qrow won't ask after the bag. She goes out once her purchases are squared away. Ruby sees her and lights up.

 _Yang! C'mon, Uncle Qrow is teaching me how to punch without hurting my hand!_ Ruby's smile is infectious and Yang can see their uncle grinning over her sister's head.

 _Hey_ , he says, holding one arm out to her.

Yang slides into the offered space and says, _Hey_ , burying her face in his side. He stinks of alcohol as usual and Yang drinks in the scent, wondering why something all her teachers say is bad is so comforting. She decides that it's because it's Uncle Qrow and he makes everything awesome and that is that.

 _ **…**_

They do the dishes mostly in silence, Qrow washing, Yang drying and stacking everything on the counter - Qrow says he'll put it all away when they're done. Ruby sits at the table, carefully scratching out the answers to the maths problems her teacher had given the class for homework. Yang and Qrow call out what is meant to be help but just ends up confusing Ruby when all is said and done.

Qrow sends Yang to sit with Ruby after the last plate is dried. The two actually make some headway to the clinking of ceramics as Qrow finishes up. The silverware is clinking into their assigned bins when Qrow says in a deceptively casual tone, _So, how's your Dad? Haven't seen him yet._

Ruby looks up from her paper to stare at Qrow then look to Yang, unsure of what to say. For her part, Yang is forcing herself to act natural. In the back of her mind she knows it would be better to just tell Qrow the truth but her mouth is already opening and the lie is spilling out.

 _He's fine_ , she says, nudging Ruby to point out a mistake in an addition problem. _Just tired._

 _From what?_

 _O, you know_ , Yang shrugs, finishes vaguely with a barely held in wince, _stuff._

Qrow leans against the counter, arms crossed and Yang is glad her hair is down and blocking his view of her face. She's never been very good at lying.

The silence lingers in the modest kitchen, broken only by the occasional hesitant rasp of Ruby's pencil. Qrow watches Yang quietly help her, waiting. Yang sets her jaw and turns a bit more away from him, towards Ruby. Finally he sighs and says, _How do you girls feel about spaghetti?_

 _Spaghetti!_ cheers Ruby.

 _Sounds great,_ says Yang, stamping her relief out before it has a chance to show on her face.

 _ **…**_

Ruby huddles as close as she can get, whimpering softly as the fight downstairs ramps up another notch. Yang strokes her hair soothingly and wishes Mom were here to make them stop fighting.

Beneath the floor Daddy roars and Uncle Qrow gets dangerously quiet. Yang buries her face in Ruby's hair and prays for morning to come quicker this time.

* * *

 **AN: There might be more coming, depending on how quickly I can get my butt in gear and write. This will not be a happy story. You have been warned.**

 **If you would like more information on this story, please check out my profile.**


	2. Month 2

It is 6:45 and Yang is rinsing their cereal bowls out as she reminds Ruby to brush her teeth.

Yang puts their backpacks by the door after checking to make sure they have everything they need for today. Outside the weather is starting to turn to winter and Ruby's jacket sleeves are too short. Yang makes a mental note to take Ruby to the store for a new one. Perhaps a package of cookies will persuade her not to tell Uncle Qrow about their trip when he comes tomorrow.

Ruby is chased downstairs by the sound of a door opening and someone shuffling over the wood floors. Yang thrusts her little sister into her coat and backpack and out the door.

 _ **…**_

Ruby falls in love with a coat as red as the cloak Mom made for her for her sixth birthday. The hood has a fur ruff and Yang nearly tells her to put it back and find another (cheaper) one.

It's barely within their budget but it's worth it to see Ruby's smile.

 _ **…**_

Yang bullies Ruby into going along with her story of Dad being the one to take them to the store for Ruby's new jacket. She isn't sure Qrow buys it but he doesn't say anything, so it's enough.

* * *

 **AN: Updates will be sporadic and the chapter length probably inconsistent. I have no beta, so please point out any grammar and spelling errors.**

 **Month two into life without Summer and Yang has apparently adjusted well. Brace yourselves.**


	3. Month 3

It is nearly seven and Yang is bundling Ruby out the door before their father notices them. He's in a bad mood today and while neither of them has ever been hurt, Yang still doesn't want Ruby to see him like this.

It's cold out and Ruby is shivering against her side. Yang makes them walk a little bit faster and sighs with relief when they make it inside the school.

 _I have to get more cereal today_ , she tells Ruby, _so you'll be walking home with Ocean, okay?_

Ruby nods her assent and hugs Yang around the middle. _Love you, sis,_ she chirrups as she scampers off to class.

 _Love you too_ , Yang murmurs to her retreating back, her lilac eyes sad. _Take care._

 _ **…**_

Ruby is frantic when Qrow makes it to the house at a quarter to six.

 _Yang didn't come home_ , she tells him, clinging to his shirt. Her pale, heart-shaped face is tear stained and her silver eyes are red. Taiyang, the useless son of a bitch, isn't downstairs with her or out overturning every damn stone on the island. Qrow manages to mostly banish the anger in favour of comforting his niece.

He pulls the story from her between hiccoughs. Yang walked her to school this morning just like always and said to walk home with their neighbor Ocean because they needed more cereal. Ocean walked her home but Yang never showed.

Qrow gently strokes her hair and quietly simmers. He'd given her plenty of chances to reach out but Yang hadn't said a word. Why? Isn't that just the question of the day.

They curl up on the couch together for about an hour until Ruby finally calms, speaks up, and breaks his heart. _Is Yang with Mommy now?_

Qrow pulls her even closer, tucking her head against his chest, right over his heart. _Let's hope not, kiddo._

 _ **…**_

Downstairs Uncle Qrow roars and Daddy is so very quiet. Ruby huddles under Yang's blanket in the hollow her sister's body has worn into the mattress over the years.

The bedclothes still smell like woodsmoke and dried summer grasses. But the one to whom the scent belongs isn't here. Might not ever be here again. Ruby whimpers softly as a door slams down below. She doesn't want to think about that and Uncle Qrow's words from earlier this evening come back to her. _**Let's hope not, kiddo.**_

When he knocks on her door a few minutes later, she comes out bundled in the cloak Mommy made her and her arms reaching up in a silent request.

They sleep through Friday together on their missing family member's bed, heedless to the world around them in their loss.

 **AN: Last chapter of Miners Cut. There is a sequel eventually. But, considering the character list and the summary I already put down for this story, that is better left as a separate post.**

 **This will get worse before it gets better. It will get better in the end.**


End file.
